McCann expects tough Iron test

Manager Grant McCann says he is expecting Scunthorpe United to provide a tough test for his side when the two meet on Saturday in Sky Bet League One.

Rovers have won both encounters in league and cup so far this season, last meeting in a 3-0 win at the Keepmoat Stadium, but with the Iron now rising into mid-table, the Rovers boss says his side are fully focused on the task in hand.

“We know what we need to do out of these next 15 games really, we’re firmly focused on what our aims are, but we’re taking it one game at a time as per usual, and we’re expecting it to be a tough game at their place,” he said.

“We’re coming up against a team who are on a good run, they’ve won three of their last six, Stuart McCall has turned a huge tide for them, and they’ve had another great run before this one, so we know it’ll be tough.

“It’ll be a lot tougher than the game we saw at our place just before Christmas, and the players are fully aware of that, but we will approach the game just as we have any other this season and play our game the way we want to play it.”

Rovers are set to be backed by close to 2,000 fans when they make the short trip down the M180 to face off against the Iron, and McCann believes the side will be up for the derby game just as much as the travelling supporters.

“I’ll never question my players’ hunger, they’re a hungry group and they want the best for themselves, for the team, and for Doncaster Rovers, the belief is there already, I just want us to add to that even more now,” he added.

“Glanford Park always a hard place to go, but it’s a derby game and as I’ve said before in other derby games this season, you have to play the game and not the occasion, we have a lot of fans making the short journey across and we want to send them home happy.

“The fans have been brilliant all season, home and away, but the away support especially has been fantastic, they travel in their numbers, they’ve been very vocal, it’s been outstanding and they’re going to be huge for us between now and the end of the season.”

Rovers are back in action at the Keepmoat Stadium on Saturday March 2 when they host play-off rivals Charlton. Make sure you don't miss a moment by booking your place from the Club Doncaster Box Office on 01302 762576 or by going to tickets.clubdoncaster.co.uk.